Employment Rights Bill

My Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Colleagues and I support workers’ rights and share your view that more could be done to ensure working people are treated with fairness and respect.   

At the second reading of the Bill on Monday 21st October, we welcomed the direction of travel, particularly on proposals to strengthen family-friendly policies, day-one rights, and modernise trade union rules. 

However, we also raised concerns about the lack of clarity and ambition in key areas of the legislation. Too many crucial details remain undefined, and the Bill relies too heavily on future consultations and secondary legislation – a process that leaves workers and small businesses in uncertainty. We will be urging the Government to implement stronger protections and greater transparency as the Bill progresses through Parliament.   

I have and will continue to support workers’ rights, the unions, rights of trade and campaign for fair pay, safe conditions and safer protections.  

My Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Colleagues and I advocate for reforms that promote wellbeing, support family life, and empower more people to enter the job market. Specifically, we have put forward policies to:   

• Make flexible working a day-one right and expand access to affordable childcare.  

• Fix the broken Statutory Sick Pay system by extending eligibility to over a million low-paid workers – the majority of whom are women – increasing the rate to match the National Minimum Wage, and paying it from day one.  

• Provide financial support to small employers to help cover sick pay costs.  

• Expand parental leave and pay, doubling statutory pay to £350 a week, introducing a ‘use-it-or-lose-it’ month for fathers/partners, and extending rights to self-employed parents from day one.  

• Modernise the system for today’s workforce by introducing a new ‘dependent contractor’ status for gig economy workers, with rights to holiday pay, sick leave, and minimum earnings.  

• Introduce a 20% higher minimum wage for zero-hours contracts and give workers the right to request fixed hours after 12 months, with a fair process and no unreasonable refusals.  

The Employment Rights Bill is a step forward, but it could still go further. We’ll continue pushing for stronger protections, working closely with trade unions.